Julie’s love for writing started in high school with a first-place award in a themed essay competition. Born with a hearing impairment and congenital abnormalities from rubella, Julie valued the power of the written word and developed recognition for speech patterns by learning musical instruments. Julie’s father encouraged her to pursue a degree in journalism and to keep writing no matter what.
Julie received a BFA in Dance Performance and Journalism from Southern Methodist University and completed two years’ post-graduate work at Stephen F. Austin State University. She wrote as a contributing editor for both school papers, area newspapers, and the regional magazine News of East Texas. She was a member of Golden Triangle Writers League while writing in East Texas, helping form her hometown’s first writer critique group with romance author Mary Lynn Baxter and true-crime author Suzy Spencer.
In Arkansas, Julie wrote for community theater, staging and filming several independent projects including her stage comedy, “Garage Sale.” After receiving the Writer’s Digest 1999 Grand Prize, her winning short story “House Call” was selected for publication by William J. Grabowski, former book reviewer and interviewer for The Horror Show magazine. She published her first of seven books in 2001.
Julie also worked as a teaching assistant for Rich Mountain Community College’s film department while writing and collaborating on several screenplays under the management of the late Jeff Ross. Among them are Killing Grounds, a Writer’s Network 2000 Honorable Mention, and Grave Jumper, Fade-In magazine’s 2005 semi-finalist. Julie’s inspiration for Grave Jumper came from a composite of true crime reports by former Arkansas State Police Investigator Russell Welch, as well as Unraveled, Welch’s undercover exchange with runner Billy Bottoms regarding the investigation of Barry Seal.
After joining Round Rock Writers’ Guild near Austin, Texas, Julie began collaborating with indie authors as a ghostwriter, editor, and book formatter. She primarily consults and doctors fiction, blog, and screenplay material. She worked on contract with Upwork and James Innes Group, writing for clients across the globe on fiction and nonfiction projects, resume enhancement, and LinkedIn profile consultation. Genres Julie has written are YA, children’s, self-help, inspirational, spiritual, thriller, horror, fantasy, action-adventure, sci-fi, contemporary romance, self-help, technical, and academic.
Julie currently works as a remote freelance ghostwriter and editor for Edioak (New York) in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, the setting of her seventh book, Falling Stars. She lives there with her husband, Jim, a primary care physician, and their furry children Madison, Kate, and Sukie. She has one son, Seth, who works as a video game level designer in Austin.